The show will go on: Vive Les Arts reverses decision to close

The decision to close well known theater Vive Les Arts has been reversed.

Author:
Emani Payne , KCEN

Published:
5:29 PM CDT August 3, 2017

Updated:
5:33 PM CDT August 3, 2017

The decision to close well known theater Vive Les Arts has been reversed.

The theater has been active in the community for more than 40 years, but the question is who will foot the bill to keep the theater open.

Theater board members voted to close up shop in July citing financial issues, but after community members fought against that – another vote was held and the decision was reversed.

The vote took place at a meeting where both members and the board were able to vote. Only one person out of 95 voters voted to shut it down.

While considered a victory for many, the financial issues can’t be ignored.

So, the question remains; how will the theater be paid for long term?

Chariperson Summer Heidtbrink said they will be restructuring the organization from the top down, significantly cutting costs. They plan to hire a business director to handle future business operations for the theater.

Heidtbrink said this is a step in the right direction.

“We are hoping that we have someone with a little more experience in running a business,” Heidtbrink said. “someone that doesn’t have trouble hiring and firing people and telling them this is what you need to do. Someone that can take care on cutting down on our expenses.”

She also said the huge amount of support from volunteers is also helping keep the theater afloat. They have about 75 volunteers who donate tons of hours of their free time to pull off the theaters musicals.

The theater is still looking for more volunteers and also looking to fill some vacant board member positions.